Eat this Word: Scrapple

by jbfauthor on February 24, 2010

WHAT? Rehashed hog hodgepodge. Though a packed loaf of pig scraps and offal may not entice those with squeamish stomachs, scrapple has been enjoyed in the Pennsylvania Dutch region since its first settlers set up shop there. (According to the Habbersett company—which has been slinging scrapple since 1863—the product was invented in Chester County, PA, home to the state’s oldest colony.) Similar to black pudding or German panhas, scrapple was an invention born of frugality, a delicious way to use up every last piece of the pig after slaughtering. To the leftover porky parts New World pioneers added buckwheat and cornmeal—two crops indigenous to the area—and seasonings before setting in loaf-shaped molds. Sliced and fried until golden brown, scrapple has a crispy texture and well-spiced flavor similar to that of a country sausage patty. You can still find it in

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